CVE-2018-1264 in Log Cache
Summary
by MITRE
Cloud Foundry Log Cache, versions prior to 1.1.1, logs its UAA client secret on startup as part of its envstruct report. A remote attacker who has gained access to the Log Cache VM can read this secret, gaining all privileges held by the Log Cache UAA client. In the worst case, if this client is an admin, the attacker would gain complete control over the Foundation.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/22/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-1264 affects Cloud Foundry Log Cache components running versions prior to 1.1.1, representing a critical security flaw that exposes sensitive authentication credentials during system initialization. This issue specifically targets the Log Cache service's startup process where it inadvertently logs the Universal Authentication Agent client secret as part of its environment structure report. The exposure occurs through the logging mechanism itself, where the secret is written to system logs without proper sanitization or access controls, creating an immediate and severe security risk for Cloud Foundry deployments.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper credential handling within the Log Cache service's initialization sequence. During startup, the system generates an envstruct report that contains various environment variables and configuration parameters, including the UAA client secret. This secret is logged in plain text format without any obfuscation or access restrictions, making it immediately accessible to any entity with read permissions on the Log Cache VM's logging files. The flaw manifests as a direct violation of secure coding practices, where sensitive authentication information is written to logs without proper security considerations, aligning with CWE-209 which addresses the improper handling of sensitive information in logging contexts.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond the immediate Log Cache service, potentially enabling complete compromise of the entire Cloud Foundry foundation. When an attacker gains access to the Log Cache virtual machine, they can directly retrieve the logged UAA client secret and use it to authenticate with the Cloud Foundry environment's authentication system. If the Log Cache UAA client has administrative privileges, this access translates into full control over the foundation, allowing the attacker to manipulate all deployed applications, modify system configurations, access sensitive data, and potentially escalate privileges to gain access to underlying infrastructure components. This represents a classic privilege escalation scenario where a limited access compromise can lead to complete system takeover, consistent with ATT&CK technique T1078 for valid accounts and T1566 for credential access.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-1264 require immediate deployment of Cloud Foundry Log Cache version 1.1.1 or later, which addresses the logging issue by removing or properly sanitizing the UAA client secret from environment reports. Organizations should also implement comprehensive log access controls, ensuring that only authorized personnel can read system logs containing sensitive information. The remediation process involves rotating the affected UAA client secrets immediately after patching, as well as implementing proper log sanitization procedures to prevent similar issues in other components. Additionally, organizations should conduct regular security assessments of their Cloud Foundry deployments to identify and remediate similar credential exposure vulnerabilities, utilizing principles from the OWASP Top Ten and NIST cybersecurity frameworks to maintain robust security postures against such threats.